Man-like dummy player figure as a practicing tool for basketball training, the Basketball Jock, the BJ, the Jock

ABSTRACT

A man-like-dummy figure, non motional providing arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, head, etc.—The arms are raised over the head of the man-like dummy figure, to be used as a form of defense to distract—Slightly tilting forward at the waist—Inside the torso will host a 10 feet in length by 10 inches wide thick band material strap rolled on a spool that retracts—When in use the Zone Strip is pulled out from the right side of the torso to connect to the left side of another player-like dummy figure—Standing at 5 feet tall, the player-like dummy-figure adjust upward to extend up to 8 feet and downward to retract or shorten, at the sides of the waist it extends up to 2 ft, the thigh are extend up to 6 inches and the chins extend up to 6 inches—There are handles on the lower back and upper back to assist in the height adjustments and for maneuvering—The torso front and back and thigh areas will be padded with cushion for non abrasive contact covering up with a uniform.

CROSS-REFERENCE

Not Applicable

Not federally sponsored research nor developed

BACKGROUND

In 2000 I started coaching basketball for my church. While coaching began to realize that there needed to be someone or something to challenge each player during practice drills. I was then pondering on the thought that there needed to be something there to do what the rest of the players don't want to do which is to stand for long periods of time with their hands up, to defend one on one, to play zone defense or set the screen, while the coach's focus is on offense. So, I thought of a manlike basketball player dummy figure as a practicing tool and I named it the Basketball Jock, the BJ and or the Jock. The stationary BJ will stand at 5 feet with adjustable height up to 8 feet tall which allows the BJ to challenge any size player on the court every time. The BJ will have a tall intimidating muscular presence on the court.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The BJ is on the basketball court standing at 5 feet and extending to 8 feet tall. The body is made of plastic with padded cushion under the uniform front and back. Comprising of 25 lbs of weights in each sneaker for stability, with wheels attached in the heels for mobility, and springs in the ankles, which allows the BJ to rock back and forth when in contact. Height adjustments are located in three areas which are the upper chin, upper knee and upper waist areas of the BJ. The BJ will tilt slightly forward at the waist. The mid torso area is where the zone strip is located. The zone strip exits the left side of the BJ when it is pulled out and connects to the right side of another BJ to create a Zone Area. The arms are raised above the head, elbows are bent and palms are facing forward inches apart. Handles are placed in the back of the torso for assisting in height adjustments as well as for maneuvering.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the BJ.

FIG. 2 shows a back view of the BJ.

FIG. 3 shows the left side view of the BJ

FIG. 4 shows the right side view of the BJ

FIG. 5 shows the inside view of the BJ

FIG. 6 shows the Zone Strip connected to another BJ

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view illustrating the BJ's connected to create Zone Defense.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND HOW IT WORKS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is now described referring to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 the reference number denotes the Basketball Jock, The BJ 1. The BJ 1 is supported with a base of weighted sneakers 2 for strengthened stability featuring heavy duty springs 3 for resistance when players bang up against the BJ 1. The heavy duty springs are caste inside of the weighed sneakers 2 and extend out of the top of the weighted sneakers 2 and connect to the inside support frame 28. A support padding 4 covers each weighted sneakers 2 for safety and protection. The upper chin 5 area is where six inches of height adjustments take place accordingly. Located in the upper knee 6 areas there is six inches of height adjustment. The padded shorts 7 are safety protection for non abrasive contact. The BJ 1 is slightly tilted forward at the waist 8, so that a player's first contact with the BJ 1 is upper body and not lower body, which reduces the chances of injury. Just above the waist area 9 is where two feet of height adjustments take place. The padded jersey 10 is for safety protection during upper body contact. The arms 11 are raised at the shoulders as a technique in a defensive position to create a form of distraction to the opponent. The forearms 12 are bent inward at the elbows as a form of defense to distract the vision of the opponent. The BJ's hands 13 are spread inches apart with palms facing forward in the opponent face, as a form of defenses to distract the opponent vision.

As shown in FIG. 2, Clear wheels with locks 14 are for maneuvering around the court and not to mark up the gym floors. The lower back handle 15 and the upper back handle 16 are for assistance in maneuvering and for height adjustments and the handles are mounted by nut 39 and bolt 40. The height indicator 17 shows the present feet and inches when the height is adjusted accordingly and it is attached to the inside support frame 28.

In FIG. 3, it shows the white plastic coil sleeves 18 to camouflage the height adjustment areas. The BJ 1 waist 8 slightly tilted forward to permit the player to only have upper body contact with the BJ 1 and not lower body contact. The waist 8 is tilted forward to reduce the changes of injuries; such as, a player bumping into the knees, stepping on the feet of the BJ 1, and other injuries. The zone strip opening 19 is where the zone strip 20 is to be pulled out from. The zone strip 20 is a 9 inch wide×10 feet long plastic banner strip wrapped around a retractable spoon 41 uprightly attached to the inside support frame 28 by nut 39 and bolt 40. One end of the zone strip 20 is mounted to the spoon; the other end of the zone strip 20 has hole 21, hole 22, and hole 23 placed vertically one inch from the edge of the zone strip 20. The end of the zone strip 20 is housed on the outer surface of the zone strip opening 19 by hole 21 and hole 23 being snapped onto the support hooks 24 when not in use. The zone strip 20 can be used by grabbing hole 21, hole 22, or hole 23 and pulling the zone strip 20 out. The bottom hole 21, middle hole 22 and the top hole 23 connects and secure the zone strip 20 to the right side of another BJ 1. The zone strip 20 is to be pulled out and connected to another BJ 1, to create a zone area where players are restricted. The zone strip 20 allows the player the opportunity to use one hand as their guard hand, in which a player will place their guard hand down under the zone strip 20, to cultivate protecting the ball while dribbling with the other hand.

In FIG. 4 it shows the white plastic coil sleeves 18 that camouflage the height adjustments areas. The BJ 1 waist 8 slightly tilted forward to prevent a player from having lower body contact with the BJ 1. A support member 28 with a bottom hook 25, middle hook 26 and top hook 27 mounted to the support member 28. This is the left side of the BJ 1 where the bottom hook 25, middle hook 26 and the top hook 27 is in place to connect and secure the bottom hole 21 middle hole 22 and the top hole 23 of the zone strip 20 which creates a zone area from one BJ 1 to another BJ 1.

In FIG. 5, shows weighted steel sneakers 2 with heavy duty springs 3 casted into the steel which allows the BJ 1 the resistance to rock back and forth with continued stability after opponent contact. The top of the heavy duty spring 3 are centered and connected to the bottom legs by the inside support frame 28. The inside frame support 28 extends upward and it is attached to the top of the heavy duty springs 3 by a nut 39 and a bolt 40. The inside frame support 28 is a metal square tube slotted rod which allows the BJ 1, to stay tightly connected during the height adjustment process, to have a solid connection in the inside of the BJ's I body parts for the locking pin 32 to go through.

The BJ 1 adjusts accordingly from five feet to eight feet tall in the height adjustment areas. The height adjustment areas have the camouflage of thin plastic coil sleeves 18 that slides up or down. The coil sleeve 18 is a covering for the flat plate gauge slotted 29, inside support frame 28, and locking pin 32. The height adjustments are located in three areas, such as the upper chin 5, upper knee 6 and upper waist 8. The upper chin 5, upper knee 6, and the upper waist 8 are the three extension members. The extension members will split away from their lower parts in an upward direction at the point of extension by grabbing a hold of either the lower back handle 15 or the upper back handle 16 with one hand and pulling up the other handle with the other hand. In the height adjustment areas and at the point of extension the upper chin 5, upper knees 6 and the upper waist 8 will adjust accordingly up or down. Also, in the height adjustment areas a flat plate slotted gauge 29 is attached y nut 39 and bolt 40 to the inside surface of each body part at the point of extension. The flat plate slotted gauge 29 holds and secure the stability of the BJ 1 at the point of extension by inserting the locking pin 32 into the hole of the desired height. The locking pin 32 is a 5/16 thick round rode with a mounted head on one end, and the other end treaded for a screw on head for tight security. The locking pin 32 goes through three holes straight across from each other, which is from the first hole outer surface through the second hole on the inside support frame 28 and clear through the third holes outer surface with the treaded side there for the security of the screw on head. The locking pin 32 is responsible for securing hole 30 and hole 31. The locking pin 32 is attached to the support frame by a rubber string 33. Also, the locking pin 32 is stored upright on the support frame 28 by support clamps 34 for security when not in use. One end of the rubber string 33 is round rubber end that snaps in a hole on the support frame 28 and the other end of the rubber string 33 has a round rubber end that snaps and is secured through the hole under the mounted head on the locking pin 32. The support clamps 34 are attached to the support frame 28, by a nut 39 and bolt 40 also, the support clamps 34 hold and secure the locking pin 32 to the support frame 28 when the locking pins 32 are not in use. The upper knee 6 area houses a flat plate slotted gauge 29, hole 35, hole 36 a locking pin 32, rubber string 33 and support clamps 34. The support frame 28 helps provide strength and stability to the BJ 1. This particular area of the support of the support frame 28 is the core. The support frame 28 is mounted to both sides with nut 39 and bolt 40. The support frame 28 has a lower and upper portion, and both portions provide a solid stable connection for the BJ's 1 devices. Below the core is the lower portion of the support frame 28, the lower portion is stable support for height adjustments, heavy duty springs 3, locking pins 32, and clamps 34. The upper portion is stable support for height adjustments, a locking pin 32, clamps 34, zone strip 20, height indicator 17, hole 21, hole 22, and hole 23. The upper waist 8 area has two feet of height adjustment. Also, the upper waist 8 is equipped with a flat plate slotted gauge 29, with hole 35, hole 36, hole 37 and hole 38 spread six inches apart from each other, a locking pin 32, rubber string 33 and clamps 34. The support frame 28 holds and secure the zone strip 20 uprightly for storage, and when it is being used. Also, hooks 25, and 26, and 27 are mounted on the support frame 28.

In FIG. 6, it shows the BJ 1 on the left with the zone strip 20 pulled out the BJ's 1 left side and connected to the right side of another BJ 1 right side, to create a zone-area where there are restrictions. The zone strip 20 is held and secured by hole 21, hole 22, and hole 23, being snapped onto hook 25, hook 26, and hook 27 for a solid connection.

FIG. 7 shows five BJ's 1 connected together by the zone strip 20 from each BJ 1 to crate zone defense.

This present invention provides a Basketball Jock wherein a stationary manlike basketball player dummy standing in a defensive position with adjustable height accordingly, from 5 feet to 8 feet to challenge any size opponent on the court. The BJ is stabilized b weighted sneakers with heavy duty springs for ankles which allow the BJ to rock back and forth after an opponent contact, and wheels in the heels for maneuvering the BJ around the court from one spot to another spot. The BJ can be used individually or as a whole team as a practicing tool for the game of basketball. The BJ has its hands in the opponent face for distraction, the BJ will rock back and forth after contact with the opponent, and the BJ allows the opponent the opportunity to cultivate protecting the ball while dribbling. Also, one BJ can set the screen for the opponent while another BJ can be there to defend the opponent when the opponent comes off the screen to take the shot.

As described above, the present invention of the BJ, is there on the court to allow the opponent to practice one on one with the BJ. The out-stretched hand of the BJ is a distraction to the shooter's vision to the rim; therefore, the shooter is forced to focus and rely on fundamentals and techniques to achieve success over the BJ, as well as over opponents. The opponent has to explode up strong on his shot, and use every fundamental and technique learned to make the shot over the BJ. The BJ allows the coach the opportunity to get up close and personal with every player. The coach can stand directly beside the BJ when the player is taking the shot, and can see the same play done over and over again without another player having to stand there with their hands up.

According to the second mode of the present invention the BJ challenges the opponent to consistently use their guard hand to protect the ball, and to perfect the shot off the dribble every time, then players can shoot with more confidence. Two BJ's are placed on the court with the zone strip hooked up for a practice drill, which allows the player the opportunity to cultivate shooting off the dribble. The player will stand directly in front of one BJ, and then the player will turn his body to the side, begin dribbling the ball with one hand and the other hand is to be placed under the zone strip while running and dribbling to the other BJ, then the player will stop, square up to the BJ and shoot.

According to the third mode of the present invention the BJ can set the screen on offense, so that the player can cultivate coming off the screen to take the shot. Also, another BJ can be there in the opponent's face to defend when he comes off the screen to take the shot.

According to the fourth mode of the present invention the BJ can create any zone defense drills by using a multiple of BJ's. This allows the coach to focus on the offense. 

1. Player dummy figure body will be made from heavy duty plastic and rubber, with parts covered with padded-wear providing support for none abrasive contact.
 2. Arms are raised above the head of said figure at about a 45 degree angle, in a defensive mode as a form of distraction.
 3. Palms of the hands are turned inward so that the hands are in the opponents face to distract the opponent's vision.
 4. There are devices for the height adjustments in the waist, thigh and chin areas of the said figure for height size according to player
 5. On the left side torso of the said figure houses the device for the zone-strip connector surrounding, which when connected to another said figure creates a zone area to certain predetermined point.
 6. In the ankles of said figure there are heavy duty springs so that said figure retracts back from opponent contact with resistance for safety while still maintaining its stability when bumping into it after opponent contact.
 7. Including 25 pound weights disposed in each sneaker for stability
 8. With two handles on said figure upper and lower back for assistance in maneuvering purpose for height adjustments
 9. Along with wheels mounted at the heels of the sneakers thereby enabling mobility along a flat surface for placement and storage
 10. With a stabilizing locking device to lock said figure into place 